Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho by Xishun Tan

Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho by Xishun Tan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Koura in Hoahoa Roto Whare me te Whakaaturanga Competition Category.

KouraRoto Whare· 2026

Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho

by Xishun Tan

Client: Vanke

A' Design Award Koura Winner in Roto Whare Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180277

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho

He hoahoa rōpū whare noho a Myriad Circles i whakaotihia ki Sichuan, Haina. I whakaawehia te whakatakotoranga e ngā kāinga Linpan o Sichuan ki te Uru me ō rātou hanganga rākau Chuandou tuku iho. Mā ngā mahi kamura motuhake o te wōnati o Amerika e whakamāori anō ana i ngā tikanga hono-ā-riki me te whakatarewa o ēnei hanganga. Ko ngā whakakaha maitai huna kei roto i ngā mahi kamura e tautoko ana i te taumaha o tētahi kohinga tauira. Ka whakakotahihia te maitai kore-waikura me te karaehe ki te rākau. Mā ngā wāhanga wōnati pūmau e hōhonu ai te taha ahurea o te rōpū o roto, ā, mā ngā wāhanga ngāwari e āhei ai te wāhi ki te mahi mō ngā whakamahinga rerekē.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Koura

Ko Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho te toa o te A' Design Award Koura, he whakaaetanga tino whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa kōeke tuatahi, whakamīharo me te hiranga. Ko ngā toa Koura he mahi tino auaha, he tirohanga mamao, he kanapa ahi, e whakaatu ana i te pūmanawa, te mātauranga me te tohungatanga o ā rātou kaihoahoa. E tūmanakohia ana ko Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho he hanganga tūnga e whakatū ana i ngā ia, he whakanuia rawa, e kawe mai ana i te uara kāore anō kia kitea. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Koura he kaupapa whakamīharo, whakahonoretia e whakawhānui ana i ngā rohe o te toi, te pūtaiao, te hoahoa me te hangarau. Ka whakaara a Myriad Circles Te Hoahoa Rōpū Whare Noho i te hiahia nui, ka whakaoho i te kaingākau, ka whakatenatena i te auaha, ā, ka whakamīharo i a tātou.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Echoing the structural elegance of "Linpan" architecture in Western Sichuan, China, this design distills traditional "Chuandou" timber systems into a contemporary narrative. Custom walnut joinery abstracts ancient cantilever techniques, creating a sculptural framework for the client’s "Retro-Futurist" collection. The space bridges eras, merging the precision of heritage carpentry with the playful spirit of the digital age to form a deeply personalized, culturally anchored sanctuary.
Tags: Retro-Futurism, Mid-Century Modern, Linpan Architecture, Residential Interior Design, Collector Workspace, Eclectic Luxury, Custom Joinery, Sichuan Vernacular, Chuandou Structure
Production Technology: To resurrect the essence of traditional "Linpan" settlements, we utilized contemporary fabrication techniques. The design synthesizes American Walnut—a nod to vernacular timber—with modern industrial materials like stainless steel and glass. By embedding concealed steel reinforcements within the joinery, we achieved the iconic "Chuandou" interlocking aesthetic without traditional limitations. This application of modern material science allows the ancient architectural form to be reborn within a "Retro-Futurist" context.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge lay in reconciling the solemnity of vernacular "Linpan" architecture with the vibrancy of a "Retro-Futurist" toy collection. Visually, preventing this eclectic mix from appearing chaotic required rigorous curation to balance historical weight with pop-culture playfulness. Structurally, mimicking the lightweight aesthetic of traditional "Chuandou" cantilevers while supporting heavy die-cast models imposed engineering constraints, necessitating a concealed steel skeleton within the walnut joinery.
Research: This project is grounded in applied design research that decodes the vernacular "Linpan" settlements of Sichuan. We sought to translate their core principles of community, organic hierarchy, and material authenticity into a contemporary urban residence. Our methodology combined ethnographic field observation, spatial analysis of traditional "Chuandou" timber structures, and material prototyping. We engaged local craftsmen and used 3D scanning alongside digital and physical modeling to test modern interpretations of joinery. A key insight emerged: the "Chuandou" system functions as a "social scaffold," organizing life through a gradient of spaces from public to private. This research directly generated the project's central "permanent-temporary" framework. Its impact is threefold: it provides business value through deep cultural narrative, offers society a model for fostering neighborhood belonging in dense cities, and advances design practice by demonstrating a rigorous methodology for systemic vernacular translation, moving beyond superficial aesthetic reference.
Inspiration: A chance journey through Western Sichuan introduced me to the mesmerizing "Linpan" settlements. This experience deeply resonated with me, and by a stroke of serendipity, I was soon commissioned for this Chengdu residence. Inspired to bring this local spirit indoors, I reinterpreted the region's traditional "Chuandou" timber structures. The design translates these ancient interlocking techniques into modern walnut joinery, grounding the space in its cultural roots.
Project Duration: The project started in April 2024 in China and finished in August 2025 in Sichuan China.
Operation Flow: The space guides visitors on a narrative journey, from the symbolic "Tree of Light" entrance into the intimate, wood-clad "Study Box." Interaction is encouraged through integrated zones where children's play is visible to adults, fostering natural community connection. Its strength lies in a "permanent-temporary" framework: the fixed walnut architecture provides cultural depth, while flexible elements allow the space to transform from a sales gallery into an active community hub. This creates not just a functional space, but one that actively builds and sustains relationships.
Team Members: Design Director：FIONA LIU and Project Director：TIM TAN
Image Credits: Photographer：Kong studio